Magazine add-on

ABSTRACT

A magazine add-on comprising a platelet arranged to replace the bottom platelet of the magazine and allow measuring the distance, e.g., via an aperture in the platelet, to the magazine&#39;s spring-loaded follower either mechanically by an elastic strap, optically by a rangefinder or by measuring the pressure applied by the spring on the platelet. The add-on further displays a number of bullets left in the magazine in a window, either mechanically by numbers on the back of the strap, or electronically on a display attached to the window and connected to the optical or pressure sensor. The add-on is reusable and may be separated and re-attached to various magazines.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of weaponry, and moreparticularly, to counting bullets in a magazine.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Weapon magazines usually lack indications of the remaining number ofbullet, which may be very important and even crucial to the soldier.

WIPO publication No. 2008132739, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety, discloses a magazine status indicator.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus comprising: ahousing attachable to a bottom of a magazine having a spring-loadedfollower, the housing having a window; a platelet arranged to replace abottom platelet of the magazine and comprising a connector connectableto the spring, and an aperture; means for measuring, through theaperture, a distance between the follower and a point in the housing,the means for measuring integrated within the housing; and means fordisplaying a number of bullets left in the magazine, through the window,according to the measured distance, wherein the apparatus is arranged tobe added on the magazine and display the number of bullets left in themagazine.

These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the presentinvention are: set forth in the detailed description which follows;possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable bypractice of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood from the detaileddescription of embodiments thereof made in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a high level schematic block diagram of an add-on apparatusand a magazine having a spring-loaded follower, according to someembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus, according to someembodiments of the invention; and

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations of the magazine withthe apparatus, according to some embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto the details of construction and the arrangement of the components setforth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Theinvention is applicable to other embodiments or of being practiced orcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIG. 1 is a high level schematic block diagram of an add-on apparatus100 and a magazine 90 having a spring-loaded follower 96, according tosome embodiments of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration ofapparatus 100, according to some embodiments of the invention. Apparatus100 is arranged to be added on magazine 90 having spring-loaded follower96 (see FIGS. 3A through 4B) and display the number of bullets left inmagazine 90. Apparatus 100 comprises a housing 110 attachable to abottom of a magazine (by clips or other connector types), and a platelet120 arranged to replace a bottom platelet of magazine 90 and comprises aconnector (not shown) connectable to spring 93. Platelet 120 has anaperture 125 through which a distance 99 between follower 96 and a pointin housing 110 is measured by means for measuring 130 integrated withinhousing 110. Apparatus 100 further comprises means 140 for displaying anumber of bullets left in magazine 90, through a window 112 in housing110, according to measured distance 99.

Measuring distance 99 may be carried out mechanically by an extendablestrap 150, or by sensors (160, 170) as illustrated in the followingfigures.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic illustrations of magazine 90 withapparatus 100, according to some embodiments of the invention.

Means for measuring 130 may comprise a coiled elastic strap 150 havingan inner end 151 fixated within housing 110 and an outer end 159stretching through aperture 125 and engaged in an impermanent connection155 with follower 96. Impermanent connection 155 is arranged to allowdisconnecting apparatus 100 from magazine 90 and reusing apparatus 100with a different magazine.

Means for displaying 140 the number of bullets left in magazine 90 maycomprise numbers 141 on a side of coiled elastic strap 150 that faceswindow 112 from inside housing 110, the numbers increasing towards innerend 151. The numbers may be printed, engraved or attached to strap 150.The displayed area of strap 150, i.e., the area facing window 112, maybe variously situated in respect to the coiled part of strap 150—it maybe in the back of the coiled part or along straight parts of strap 150between inner end 151 and outer end 159. Numbers 141 may havecontrasting colors in respect to the back of the coiled part, or includeother visibility enhancers such as phosphorous markings.

Outer end 159 of strap 150 is arranged to move together with follower 96such as to uncoil coiled strap 150 and present higher numbers in frontof window 112 upon an upward motion of follower 96, and such as to allowcoiled strap 150 to elastically re-coil and present lower numbers infront of window 112 upon a downward motion of follower 96. (Thedirections are in respect to the Top and Bottom markings on FIG. 1.)

The relative positions of window 112 and strap 150 may vary. Strap 150may be arranged to extend along various paths. For example, window 112may be positioned on a first narrow edge 101 of apparatus 100 and innerend 151 is fixated in a corresponding first side 102 of apparatus 100,while aperture 125 may be positioned at an opposite narrow edge 108 ofapparatus 100 and outer end 159 extend over opposite side 107 throughaperture 125 to connect to follower 96 at the opposite narrow side inrespect to window 112.

Apparatus 100 may further comprises a support 153 positioned withinhousing 110 at a lower portion of opposite side 107, and arranged tosupport extended elastic strap 150.

Alternatively, outer end 159 may extend through a middle 156 ofapparatus 100, aperture 125 may be positioned in the middle of platelet120, and outer end 159 may pass through an inner space 157 of spring 93and is connected to the middle of follower 96.

Impermanent connection 155 may comprise a connection by a clip (notshown) connected to outer end 159 of strap 150 and operatively attachedto follower 96.

Impermanent connection 155 may comprise a magnetic connection between amagnet 152 connected to outer end 159 of strap 150 and follower 96.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations of magazine 90 withapparatus 100, according to some embodiments of the invention.

Means for measuring 130 may comprise a rangefinder 160 positioned inhousing 110 and arranged to optically measure distance 99 to follower 96through aperture 125. Means for displaying 140 the number of bulletsleft in magazine 90 may comprise a display 145, and apparatus 100 mayfurther comprise a controller 147A (e.g., a printed circuit board—PCB)arranged to receive the distance measurement, calculate the number ofbullets left in magazine 90 therefrom, and display the number on display145.

Means for measuring 130 may comprise a pressure sensor 170 such as apiezoelectric sensor, connecting platelet 120 to spring 93 and arrangedto measure a pressure applied by spring 93 thereupon. Means fordisplaying 140 the number of bullets left in magazine 90 may be display145, and apparatus 100 may further comprise controller 147B arranged toreceive the pressure measurement, calculate the number of bullets leftin magazine 90 therefrom, and display the number on display 145.

Display 145 may comprise a white on black display for good nightvisibility, e.g., an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display. Othertypes of contrast may be implemented in display 145 to enhancevisibility, e.g. phosphorous markings

In the above description, an embodiment is an example or implementationof the invention. The various appearances of “one embodiment”, “anembodiment” or “some embodiments” do not necessarily all refer to thesame embodiments.

Although various features of the invention may be described in thecontext of a single embodiment, the features may also be providedseparately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although theinvention may be described herein in the context of separate embodimentsfor clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a singleembodiment.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be carriedout or practiced in various ways and that the invention can beimplemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in thedescription above.

The invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the correspondingdescriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustratedbox or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.

Meanings of technical and scientific terms used herein are to becommonly understood as by one of ordinary skill in the art to which theinvention belongs, unless otherwise defined.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited numberof embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on thescope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of some of thepreferred embodiments. Other possible variations, modifications, andapplications are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly,the scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus farbeen described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

1. An apparatus comprising: a housing attachable to a bottom of amagazine having a spring-loaded follower, the housing having a window; aplatelet arranged to replace a bottom platelet of the magazine andcomprising a connector connectable to the spring, and an aperture; meansfor measuring, through the aperture, a distance between the follower anda point in the housing, the means for measuring integrated within thehousing; and means for displaying a number of bullets left in themagazine, through the window, according to the measured distance,wherein the apparatus is arranged to be added on the magazine anddisplay the number of bullets left in the magazine.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the means for measuring comprises a coiled elasticstrap having an inner end fixated within the housing and an outer endstretching through the aperture and engaged in an impermanent connectionwith the follower, wherein the means for displaying the number ofbullets left in the magazine are numbers on a side of the coiled elasticstrap that faces the window from inside the housing, the numbersincreasing towards the inner end, and wherein the outer end of the strapis arranged to move together with the follower such as to uncoil thecoiled strap and present higher numbers in front of the window upon anupward motion of the follower, and such as to allow the coiled strapelastically re-coil and present lower numbers in front of the windowupon a downward motion of the follower.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the window is positioned on a first narrow edge of the apparatusand the inner end is fixated in a corresponding first side of theapparatus, wherein the aperture is positioned at an opposite narrow sideof the apparatus and the outer end extends over the opposite sidethrough the aperture to connect to the follower at the opposite narrowside in respect to the window, and wherein the apparatus furthercomprises a support positioned within the housing at a lower portion ofthe opposite side, and arranged to support the extended elastic strap.4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outer end extends through amiddle of the apparatus, wherein the aperture is positioned in a middleof the platelet, and wherein the outer end passes through an inner spaceof the spring and is connected to a middle of the follower.
 5. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the impermanent connectioncomprises a connection by a clip connected to the outer end of the strapand operatively attached to the follower.
 6. The apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the impermanent connection comprises a magneticconnection between a magnet connected to the outer end of the strap andthe follower.
 7. The apparatus as claimed in claims 2, wherein theimpermanent connection is arranged to allow disconnecting the apparatusfrom the magazine and reusing the apparatus with a different magazine.8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring comprises arangefinder positioned in the housing and arranged to optically measurethe distance to the follower through the aperture, wherein the means fordisplaying the number of bullets left in the magazine is a display, andwherein the apparatus further comprises a controller arranged to receivethe distance measurement, calculate the number of bullets left in themagazine therefrom, and display the number on the display.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring comprises apressure sensor connecting the platelet to the spring and arranged tomeasure a pressure applied by the spring thereupon, wherein the meansfor displaying the number of bullets left in the magazine is a display,and wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller arranged toreceive the pressure measurement, calculate the number of bullets leftin the magazine therefrom, and display the number on the display. 10.The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the display is a white onblack display.
 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedisplay is an OLED display.
 12. A magazine comprising the apparatus asclaimed in claim 1.